Guide to eSports Betting

Throughout the years, eSports have grown from small competitions to global phenomena with millions of fans and professional players. Today, eSports isn’t just about gaming—it is one of the fastest-growing industries for betting on eSports.

With dozens of professional leagues and tournaments live-streamed worldwide, it is no surprise that e-Sports betting has become a massive online market. Fans regularly put wagers on their favourite teams through dedicated esports betting sites or even in the betting sections of almost every online operator.

Whether you are completely new or you are just looking for the best eSports betting sites and picks, this guide will walk you through the essentials – from the most popular games and markets, to some tips that will make your stay easier.

Top ESports Betting Sites

With the rapid rise of competitive gaming, the number of online eSports betting sites has grown significantly. However, not every operator provides a safe or reliable experience, which is why it’s important to choose only the best eSports betting sites. Trusted platforms not only offer competitive eSports betting odds, but also provide bonuses, apps and secure payments.

Whether you prefer desktop or mobile, today’s eSports betting apps make it easy to follow tournaments and place your bets in real time.

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What type of eSport games exist, and what are their rules?

From its humble beginning with games like Space invaders and Asteroids, eSports is unrecognizable today by comparison. A wide variety of games are played, from MOBAs and shooters to sports simulations, each with its own structure, following and of crourse, Esports bet markets .

Let’s look at some of the more popular games and what they entail.

League of Legends

This is an online multiplayer battle arena game. Rated as one of the top online eSports betting games. It is played in domestic leagues globally, which leads to the qualification for the League of Legends World Championship.

Two teams of five each take part, with each player controlling a character that has to fight its way through various adversaries. The goal is destroying the Nexus, which is the focal point of the game.

LOL betting markets include match winner, map handicap, first blood, total kills, first tower, outrights.

Dota 2

Published by Valve, Dota 2 is a multiplayer online game featuring two teams of five players. The format is player-to-player combat, with the objective to capture the enemy’s base while defending your own. This game is the subject of several tournaments worldwide.

Dota 2 betting often features map winner odds, total maps, and kill count predictions.

Counter-Strike 2

Another military first-person shooter type game, developed by Valve. The theme of the game is terrorism vs counter-terrorism and involves scenarios such as hostage rescue and bomb disposal defusal. Played on eSports by two teams of five players each, in a best of 30 contest. Various weapons are available to both teams throughout the game.

Counter-strike is a popular eSports game and the subject of several leagues and tournaments, including the Star Ladder Major, which comprises 24 teams.

FIFAe

Without a doubt, one of the most played soccer video games of all time. From the EA Sports stable, FIFAe is well represented as an eSports online betting subject, and virtual International tournaments are held.

Qualification rounds are held domestically to determine the entrants into the main tournaments. The governing body for these tournaments is FIFAe, governed by FIFA. The primary tournament is the FIFAe World Cup, held annually. eSports betting on FIFAe is well represented, with most major bookmakers offering eSports odds on the events. Online betting markets are similar to those associated with the actual game.

Call of Duty

A first-person shooter game, originally set in WWII. Primarily developed by Infinity Ward and released in 2003, this game is one of the earliest and best-known military roleplay simulations. As an online eSports game, Call of Duty can be played in either ladder or tournament format, with a substantial prize going to the eventual winner. The game is very popular as an eSports game in the USA, by far its biggest support base. Most of the top eSports online betting sites offer odds on Call of duty tournaments.

Valorant

Valorant is a tactical shooter game that has become one of the fastest-growing esports since Riot Games launched it in 2020. Like CS2, Valorant often includes a wide range of markets for pre-match and esports live betting. Options include but are not limited to map winners, handicaps and specific in-game events such as first kill or spike plant.

Fortnite

Fortnite is the battle royale global phenomenon. Millions of people playing worldwide quickly attracted the professional players to its action-packed gameplay, and since then, the Fortnite eSports scene has been massive. Competitions like the Fortnite World Cup draw millions of fans and gather large sums in the prize pools. What makes it exciting for esports betting predictions is the fact that there are some unique markets such as individual placements and total kills.

Heroes of the Storm

A multiplayer battle arena game, played by teams of five people . The main objective of the game is to destroy the opposition’s main structure before they destroy yours. Most eSports online betting sites offer odds and counter-strike odds on Heroes, and the game’s popularity as an online betting choice is growing as a result.


Main eSports Competitions

The evolution of eSports has led to several high-profile online tournaments and competitions. Naturally, these attract online betting. Here are some of the major eSports competitions.

  • League of Legends World Championship –Hosted by Riot Games, this event is held at the close of each season. Finalists compete for the 32kg Summoners Cup, and a multi-million dollar prize fund. The popularity of the event is borne out by the 2018 final’s viewership of almost 100 million. The tournament moves to different countries each year.
  • The International (Dota 2) –Operated by the International Esports Federation, with a membership of 60 countries. The first tournament was held in South Korea in 2009, with the latest that will take place in Hamburg, Germany. Four different games are played during the tournament. There are regular test matches between nations and tri-nations events.
  • ESL Pro League (CS2) –A top-tier CS2 league run by ESL FACEIT Group. Features the world’s best teams across seasons, with extensive betting options.
  • FIFA Interactive World Cup –Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest online gaming tournament in the world, the event, now known as the FIFAe World Cup, is held annually, with a different host nation each year. International online qualifying rounds culminate in 32 players entering the finals. The first round is held as a group phase, with the top 16 advancing to the knockout stages. Covered by live streaming on Youtube and television, the event has a viewership in more than 100 countries.
  • Call of Duty World League (CDL) –Call of Duty World League dates from 2016. Each version of the game has its own tournament. Prize pools are now often exceeding US$2 million.
  • Fortnite World Cup –The battle royale’s flagship event, offering one of the largest prize pools in eSports history. Outright betting is especially popular.
  • Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) –Riot’s official Valorant circuit, with international Masters events and a Champions final. A betting hotspot since its rapid growth.

eSports Facts and History

The first known video game competition was in 1972. A primitive affair, it comprised a batch of students trying to reach the highest score. Identical stand-alone computers were used, and the player with the highest was adjudged the winner.

As computers developed, so did e-gaming, and soon many commercial machines were to be found in arcades, malls, and even the local store. eSports encourages competition, and soon games were developed where one player could face-off against another, as opposed to a computer. Home consols became popular. In 1980, the Space Invaders Competition attracted over 10 000 participants, and the eSports tournament was born.

Advances in online connectivity allowed e-gaming to progress to new levels. Players could now compete against any opponent, wherever they were. Naturally, such competition soon led to organized events, usually set up by game developers.

By 2010, eSports had attained commercial status, with a large number of players turning professional. eSports is now recognized as a sport in most circles, and moves are in place to have it incorporated in the Olympic Games.


Conclusion

eSports has come a long way since its primitive origins. The story is not over. With constant advances in technology and gaming, the future growth of eSports will be phenomenal. eSports Fantasy betting has grown hand-in-hand and will continue to do so. We doubt that back in 1972, those early pioneers would have imagined that eSports would become the industry that it is today.


FAQs

We hope these answers will give you more tips on eSports.

How does eSports betting work?

Very similar to traditional sports betting. There are various markets specific to each game.

How do you win an eSports bet?

Usually, the bets will involve predicting a winner or the outcome of a game scenario. Bet correctly, and you win.

What eSports game is most popular for betting?

FIFAe is probably the most popular game, and the FIFAe World Cup attracts the most bettors.

Is eSports international?

Yes, there are players in almost every country.

What is the minimum age for eSports betting?

Generally 18, but each country will have its legal limit.

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